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Abstract:

A respiratory mask includes a teardrop-shaped front face member having a
middle portion made of a transparent material and a lateral portion made
of a colored material, and a rear cup member having a rear sealing
portion adapted to contact a user's face, and a front portion connected
to the front face member. The middle portion has a narrow top section and
a wide bottom section. The lateral portion is connected laterally to the
middle portion, and extends from one lateral side of the narrow top
section, around the wide bottom section, and back to the other lateral
side of the narrow top section. The middle and lateral portions are
formed as a one-piece body. An air inlet is formed in the wide bottom
section. Two strap-engaging portions are provided respectively on left
and right sides of the lateral portion.

Claims:

1. A respiratory mask comprising:a mask body including a teardrop-shaped
front face member having a middle portion made of a transparent material
and a lateral portion made of a colored material, and a rear cup member
having a rear sealing portion adapted to contact a user's face, and a
front portion connected to said front face member, said middle portion
having a narrow top section and a wide bottom section, said lateral
portion being connected laterally to said middle portion and extending
from one lateral side of said narrow upper section, around said wide
bottom section, and back to the other lateral side of said narrow top
section, said middle portion and said lateral portion being formed as a
one-piece body;an air inlet formed in said wide bottom section; andtwo
first strap-engaging portions provided respectively on left and right
sides of said lateral portion.

2. The respiratory mask of claim 1, wherein each of said strap-engaging
portions includes a rounded lug part projecting outwardly from a
respective one of said left and right sides of said lateral portion, and
a strap-connecting part projecting rearwardly from said rounded lug part.

3. The respiratory mask of claim 1, further comprising a forehead abutment
portion connected to said narrow top section.

4. The respiratory mask of claim 3, further comprising two second
strap-engaging portions connected respectively to left and right sides of
said forehead abutment portion.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]1. Field of the Invention

[0002]This invention relates to a mask, more particularly to a respiratory
mask for a user suffering from sleep apnea.

[0003]2. Description of the Related Art

[0004]Loud snoring is a symptom that may indicate a person is suffering
from sleep apnea. One effective way of treating that person is for
him/her to wear a respiratory mask during sleep. A respiratory
resuscitator is connected to the respiratory mask, and pumps a positive
airway pressure into a person's nasal cavity and throat through the
respiratory mask so as to keep the airway open and prevent the airway
from collapsing. Thus, an upper respiratory tract can remain
unobstructed, and a person's breathing can be smooth. This kind of
machine that provides a positive airway pressure to the respiratory mask
is known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
According to some studies, the effectiveness of the treatment can reach
more than 90%.

[0005]Although a person wearing such a respiratory mask can be effectively
treated through the provision of the positive airway pressure by the CPAP
machine to the respiratory mask, medical research reports point out that
the acceptance of wearing a respiratory mask by people suffering from
sleep apnea is not ideal. This has been attributed to the fact that such
respiratory masks look like the ones used for critically ill patients in
the hospital.

[0006]FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional respiratory mask 1 worn by a
person suffering from sleep apnea. To prevent a user from associating the
respiratory mask 1 with that used for critical patients in the hospital,
different kinds of respiratory masks have been developed. These include
respiratory masks made by Resmed and Respironics, each of which is
designed to cover the nose and mouth of a user, and has an extruded
transparent frame and a soft cover portion provided at one side of the
transparent frame. The color tones and contour of the respiratory masks
made by Resmed and Respironics are similar. Modern respiratory masks are
more flawless and comfortable to wear, such as Resmed's Mirage Activa®
and Mirage Quattro®, the technical descriptions of which are
respectively disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,406,965 and 7,207,334.
Although the frames of these respiratory masks are provided with color,
the contours thereof are still similar to that of the conventional
respiratory mask 1. Further, the purpose of the colored frame of each of
these respiratory masks is to facilitate changing of the soft cover
portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007]Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a
respiratory mask that has a contour distinctive from that of conventional
respiratory masks so as to provide greater wear comfort and aesthetic
appeal.

[0008]According to this invention, a respiratory mask comprises a mask
body, an air inlet, and two strap-engaging portions. The mask body
includes a teardrop-shaped front face member having a middle portion made
of a transparent material and a lateral portion made of a colored
material, and a rear cup member having a rear sealing portion adapted to
contact a user's face, and a front portion connected to the front face
member. The middle portion has a narrow top section and a wide bottom
section. The lateral portion is connected laterally to the middle
portion, and extends from one lateral side of the narrow top section,
around the wide bottom section, and back to the other lateral side of the
narrow top section. The middle portion and the lateral portion are formed
as a one-piece body. The air inlet is formed in the wide bottom section.
The strap-engaging portions are provided respectively on left and right
sides of the lateral portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a conventional respiratory mask
in a state of use;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a respiratory mask according to
the preferred embodiment of this invention; and

[0013]Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a respiratory mask 10 according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown to comprise a mask
body 2, an air inlet 3, two first strap-engaging portions 5, a forehead
abutment portion 6, and two second strap-engaging portions 7.

[0014]The mask body 2 includes a teardrop-shaped front face member 21 and
a rear cup member 22. The front face member 21 has a middle portion 211
made of a transparent material, and a lateral portion 212 made of a
colored material. The middle portion 211 has a narrow top section 2111
and a wide bottom section 2112. The narrow top section 2111 has a
substantially circular hollow member 2113. The lateral portion 212 is
connected laterally to the middle portion 211, and extends from one
lateral side of the narrow top section 2111, around the wide bottom
section 2112, and back to the other lateral side of the narrow top
section 2111. The middle portion 211 and the lateral portion 212 are made
by injection molding so as to form a one-piece, two-tone body. Hence,
there is no seam formed between the middle portion 211 and the lateral
portion 212, so that the respiratory mask 10 is easy to clean. Further,
with the shape of the front face member 21 simulating a teardrop, the
respiratory mask 10 of the present invention has a colored contour
totally distinctive from that of the conventional respiratory mask 1
shown in FIG. 1. Hence, the appearance of the respiratory mask 10 of the
present invention is effectively enhanced.

[0015]The rear cup member 22 has a rear sealing portion 221 adapted to
contact a user's face, and a front portion 222 connected to the front
face member 21.

[0016]The air inlet 3 is formed in the wide bottom section 2112 for
connection with an air inlet tube (A).

[0017]The first strap-engaging portions 5 are provided respectively on
left and right sides of the lateral portion 212. Each of the first
strap-engaging portions 5 includes a rounded lug part 51 projecting
outwardly from a respective one of the left and right sides of the
lateral portion 212, and a strap-connecting part 52 projecting rearwardly
from the rounded lug part 51. The rounded lug part 51 has two curved
sides 511 having opposite ends connected to each other. Ends of a lower
head strap (not shown) are connected respectively to the strap-connecting
parts 52 of the first strap-engaging portions 5 to secure the respiratory
mask 10 to a lower portion of the head of the user.

[0018]The forehead abutment portion 6 is connected to the hollow member
2113 of the narrow top section 2111, and is adapted to abut against the
forehead of the user.

[0019]The second strap-engaging portions 7 are respectively connected to
left and right sides of the forehead abutment portion 6. Ends of an upper
head strap (not shown) are connected respectively to the second
strap-engaging portions 7 to secure the respiratory mask 10 to an upper
portion of the head of the user.

[0020]To summarize the aforementioned description, the middle and lateral
portions 211, 212 of the teardrop-shaped front face member 21 are made by
injection molding so as to form a one-piece, two-tone body, so that not
only is cleaning of the respiratory mask 10 facilitated, but the shape of
the respiratory mask 10 itself is also distinctive from the conventional
and currently available respiratory masks. This second advantageous
result is such that association of the respiratory mask 10 of the present
invention can be diverted from that use for critical patients in the
hospital.

[0021]While the present invention has been described in connection with
what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is
understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment
but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.